Regulatory authorities around the world have established that emissions from internal combustion engines, including gasoline and diesel engines, will be regulated. Diesel and gasoline engine exhaust streams present unique filtration problems. The only solution to these problems is the development of a particulate (soot) filter to extract particulate material from the exhaust stream. However, filters which include fluid and particulate filtration media, typically ceramic honeycomb type structures, eventually become clogged with matter trapped by the media and such filters must either be discarded or subjected to a time consuming and expensive regeneration or cleaning process. The capital cost of such filters is not inconsequential, as compared with conventional engine intake air filters and the like, for example. Accordingly, discarding engine exhaust filters is expensive and regeneration of the filter media is desirable. The present invention provides an improved method and apparatus for regenerating or cleaning filters, including ceramic filters for gasoline and diesel engines, in particular.